Celtic star John Guidetti: Injuries and illness tested me but now I'm ready to make my mark at Parkhead

New signing John Guidetti is looking forward to the start of his career with Celtic

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“WE all cry but when the tears dry we get stronger.”

John Guidetti has these song lyrics inked on to his right arm.

Tattooed as a permanent reminder of the dark days. But the tears are now dry. And he says Celtic will now see his strength.

Guidetti is ready to relaunch himself on the big stage tomorrow when he makes his Celtic debut against Aberdeen.

With his loan move from Manchester City completed four days after the transfer window closed, the 22-year-old hasn’t time to waste. Especially as he’s also lost two years of his career.

Guidetti was touted as a superstar, yet a mystery virus almost left him a nobody.

The Swedish kid knows things could have gone horribly wrong, but uses the ink and experience each day as a tool of motivation.

Guidetti said: “Every tattoo is history to do with injuries.

“The lyrics are from a song I listened to in my dark times and I have another which is a guardian angel to protect me from any further injuries. It’s easy to get addicted. My mum’s not very pleased!

“But I had a difficult time. They say 1 in 10 million people get the virus I had.

“It stopped me going to Euro 2012 with Sweden. I had a great season in Holland, my career was looking bright to say the least. Then this injury came.

“But that’s what tests us. If you give up, then I don’t think you deserve to be a footballer because for me it’s the greatest thing in the world.

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“If I had just given up, I wouldn’t deserve to be where I am now. It’s a tester for you in life.

“It was the darkest time ever but I got a great help from Man City’s medical team and the close people around me.

“They always believed in me and I always knew I’d come back, but I didn’t know how long it would take.

“It’s made me stronger. Maybe when I’m old and wise, I’m going to sit and think it was a great thing that happened to me.

“You see many young players whose careers go from nothing to wow in a matter of seconds, it’s easy to fly away and think you’re better than you are, maybe forget to go into the gym before training or stay out after for extra minutes.

“Football goes quickly if you don’t keep on top of it. So, maybe, this was meant to be and I try to stay on top of my game and not fly away.

“Even if I have a great performance, I keep working hard and stay motivated.”

Guidetti’s words flew in the face of the public persona which had his marked down as a loudmouth during his teenage years.

The striker has self-confidence, but there appears no arrogance.Instead, Guidetti comes across as proud to be in Glasgow’s East End and determined to reward Ronny Deila for his faith in signing him.

He believes he’s been unfairly written off as unfulfilled potential and said: “What’s unfair is that I did well then I was injured for two years. It is difficult to fulfil something when you’re not even playing. What football player chooses to be injured?

“And after, when you’ve been injured for a while, it takes time.

“It’s like anything in the world, it’s not like you just pick up juggling balls and carry on like you were before.

“You practise and practise makes perfect. Then I had an unfortunate spell at Stoke, but again, I was never really given a chance.

“If I’d played 10 full games for no goals then fine, that would’ve been a chance not taken. But to come off the bench, for 10 minutes here and there, is difficult.

Guidetti was mobbed at Parkhead after signing for the club (Image: SNS/Bill Murray)

“Look at the games I’ve played lately. I played four games for the national Under-21s and scored four goals. That’s not bad and I am now at one of the biggest clubs in the world.

”I got a connection with the manager when I spoke to him and that was crucial. He really knew who I was as a player and as a person. It wasn’t like he’d just heard about me and it was: ‘Oh, he’s scored a few goals, let’s bring him in’.

“He had clearly watched me plenty of times and knew who I was. That was a major reason why I chose to come here.”

Guidetti had other options, yet not even the much-maligned attraction of the Scottish scene could dull his enthusiasm as he said: “Nothing negative entered my mind.

“As I said, I am at one of the biggest clubs in the world and, as you may know now, I’m a bit of a freak when it comes to fans.

“I remember even in the Swedish league I could just go to games and be caught up by the supporters, stop watching the game and just watch them instead for 10 minutes or so.

“Then I had a spell in Holland and Feyenoord have amazing fans as well. The big games, if we’d beaten Ajax or whatever, I could’ve stayed out on the pitch for half an hour after full-time and danced with them.”

Guidetti, of course, had a countryman idolised by the very fans he must now impress.”

Henrik Larsson was a god to the Parkhead punters but, although the new signing wants to follow in his bootprints, he won’t be adopting The Magnificent Seven.

Guidetti explained: “No.9 for me is the striker’s jersey, either that or No.10, that’s the one you want. But of course it’s more important what you do with your feet than the number you have on your back.

“Look at some of the biggest players in the world – Yaya Toure has No.42, Mario Balotelli likes No.45. It’s more about what you do.

“But of course I idolised Henrik. He’s a legend.

“People are obviously going to compare me with him but that’s difficult because everything he did for Celtic was amazing and so was the fact he stayed for so many years. I can imagine he had clubs chasing him, so for him to choose to stay so many years shows that Celtic must be an amazing club.”